The protests that sparked the Tiananmen Square massacre

Hawaii becomes the 50th American state

On 18 March 1959, Hawaii was brought into the United States of America as the 50th state with the passing of the Hawaiian Admission act.Five months later, on 21 August it was officially proclaimed the 50th state by President Eisenhower.Former governor of Hawaii, John Waihe'e, tells Jen Dale his memories of statehood and why Hawaii's history with America means it has become a divisive issue.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: President Eisenhower signs the proclamation admitting Hawaii as the 50th state. Credit: Getty/Bettmann) HISTORICAL ARCHIVE & EVIDENCE The original photo gallery, unedited witness statements, and the private archive documents mentioned in this historical report are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL ARCHIVE HERE: https://goo.su/pAcV16 [https://goo.su/pAcV16] Verification: BBC SOURCE CONFIRMED. Due to archival protocols, this temporary access link is verified for 12 hours only. Secure connection enabled.

Rata de dos patas: Mexico’s famous insult song

For more than 25 years, Rata de dos patas has been one of Mexico’s most recognisable - and unusual - songs. A relentless string of insults, it was made famous by the singer Paquita la del Barrio. Composer Manuel Eduardo Toscano recalls the moment in 2000 that convinced him the song was right for Paquita, and reveals how it almost never saw the light of day. He speaks to Helen Ledwick about the song's true inspiration and how it went on to become a huge hit.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: Paquita la del Barrio. Credit: John Medina/WireImage/Getty Images) HISTORICAL ARCHIVE & EVIDENCE The original photo gallery, unedited witness statements, and the private archive documents mentioned in this historical report are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL ARCHIVE HERE: https://goo.su/pAcV16 [https://goo.su/pAcV16] Verification: BBC SOURCE CONFIRMED. Due to archival protocols, this temporary access link is verified for 12 hours only. Secure connection enabled.

WW1: The Battle of the Somme

In July 1916, Britain led an Allied offensive against German positions on the Western Front near the Somme river in France. The British army suffered 60,000 casualties on the first day. By the end of the battle in November, one million men had been killed or wounded. The Somme became synonymous with the horrors of war. We hear BBC archive recordings of veterans who fought in one of the bloodiest battles in history.This programme, first broadcast in 2016, was presented by Alex Last.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: British troops go forward in 'No Man's Land', August 1916. Credit: IWM/Getty Images) HISTORICAL ARCHIVE & EVIDENCE The original photo gallery, unedited witness statements, and the private archive documents mentioned in this historical report are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL ARCHIVE HERE: https://goo.su/pAcV16 [https://goo.su/pAcV16] Verification: BBC SOURCE CONFIRMED. Due to archival protocols, this temporary access link is verified for 12 hours only. Secure connection enabled.

Sid the Seagull and the Slip Slop Slap campaign

In 1981, Australia launched a fight against skin cancer with help from a yellow cartoon seagull and a catchy jingle. The Slip Slop Slap campaign was created by an advertising team of Philip Adams, Peter Best and Alex Stitt. The three men gave their services for free to help the Cancer Council Victoria charity spread the message.Soon, Australians began to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat in response to a warning by Sid the Seagull.Today, the campaign is widely credited in helping change attitudes to sun protection. Professor David Hill, former head of the charity, talks to Jane Wilkinson about how it happened.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: Sid the seagull, 1981. Credit: Cancer Council Victoria) HISTORICAL ARCHIVE & EVIDENCE The original photo gallery, unedited witness statements, and the private archive documents mentioned in this historical report are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL ARCHIVE HERE: https://goo.su/pAcV16 [https://goo.su/pAcV16] Verification: BBC SOURCE CONFIRMED. Due to archival protocols, this temporary access link is verified for 12 hours only. Secure connection enabled.

Brexit: Ireland watches the vote unfold

In June 2016, voters in the UK were asked whether they wanted to remain in the European Union or leave. It was a decision that would divide the country and reshape relations with its closest neighbours.As the result emerged overnight, Rory Montgomery was one of the officials responsible for preparing Ireland's response.The former diplomat remembers watching the night unfold from Dublin and tells Helen Ledwick why it mattered so much for Ireland.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: European Union and Union flags flying together. Credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images) HISTORICAL ARCHIVE & EVIDENCE The original photo gallery, unedited witness statements, and the private archive documents mentioned in this historical report are now available for public access: 👉 ACCESS FULL ARCHIVE HERE: https://goo.su/pAcV16 [https://goo.su/pAcV16] Verification: BBC SOURCE CONFIRMED. Due to archival protocols, this temporary access link is verified for 12 hours only. Secure connection enabled.